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After Luna's arrival, an awkward silence fell over the common room.
The three of us stared at one another, frozen in the same positions, as a strange atmosphere formed between us.
I could feel the tension between the two girls, and if this were an anime, lightning would definitely be shooting out of their eyes and colliding in midair.
This uncomfortable atmosphere was, honestly, starting to make me uncomfortable. And knowing that it would continue until someone intervened, I decided that it was my responsibility to do something.
"Well…" I began, breaking the silence. "Are you having trouble sleeping too, Luna?" I asked, looking at the Ravenclaw girl with a slightly forced smile.
My question caused Luna's attention to shift away from Fleur for a moment. But after casting a quick glance at my face, she focused back on the Veela — or more specifically, on the rather intimate position we were in.
Following her gaze, I saw that Fleur was still clinging to me, sitting on my lap with no intention of moving.
In fact, I had even tried to get out of this embarrassing situation, gently pushing Fleur so she would get off me. But unfortunately, she refused to cooperate.
Every time I tried to move, she clung to me even tighter. And I wouldn't be able to make her let go without ending up hurting her.
'I'm starting to think Fleur is a new species of Veela with koala blood' I thought, exasperated.
So, with a resigned sigh, I gave up on pushing her away.
She clearly didn't want to change positions, and besides feeling her stubbornness and determination, I could also sense her irritation growing with each attempt I made.
Looking back at Luna, I saw that she was still staring at us.
Nervously, I scratched the back of my neck before starting to explain.
"Uh, well… We're not doing anything inappropriate. We were just talking, and—"
Before I could finish my explanation, Luna interrupted me.
"I understand," she said simply.
"Huh?"
Hearing that, I blinked in surprise.
Honestly, I hadn't expected it to be that easy to convince Luna.
However, judging by her calm expression and the fact that her emotions had settled down, I could tell she was telling the truth.
She truly believed what I had said.
"Oh," was all I managed to say.
And not knowing what to do next, another silence fell over us.
Fortunately, this silence didn't last long. It was broken again — this time by Luna herself.
The eccentric girl stepped down from the last stair before starting to walk toward us. Circling around the armchair, she stopped right in front of Fleur and me.
Her clear, dreamy eyes were fixed on my face, with intentions that were difficult even for me to decipher.
And it was only then, with her standing there, that I noticed what she was wearing.
Luna was dressed in a loose, comfortable set of pajamas, clearly chosen for comfort rather than appearance.
The top was far too big for her, with sleeves extending past her wrists, reinforcing its simple, slightly sloppy look.
The pants matched the top — equally baggy — ending just above her ankles. And, like Fleur, she was barefoot — though in Luna's case, her feet were protected by socks.
The entire set was made of cotton, in a muted grayish-lilac tone, decorated with small silver prints of stars, moons, leaves, magical creatures, and other shapes I suspected only Luna truly understood.
The fabric looked somewhat worn, but its clean and well-cared-for appearance showed that Luna clearly valued it, as if it were a favorite piece.
Unlike the elegant and delicate sleepwear Fleur was wearing, there was nothing provocative or refined about the dreamy girl's outfit. Still, there was something genuinely Luna about it.
It was simple, eccentric, cozy… and cheerful.
'Huh… Is it strange that I find this kind of outfit almost as beautiful as a nightgown?' I asked myself, unable to control the slight flutter in my heart.
Shaking my head, I pushed those thoughts away.
My gaze, now more focused, returned to Luna's serene expression, and for some reason, the scene of her standing there felt strangely familiar.
'Oh right… this was exactly how it happened when Fleur came to me' I realized.
And as if to confirm that the situations were the same, Luna took a step forward… before throwing herself into my arms as well.
Suddenly, my vision was filled with two beautiful, shining shades of blonde. Fleur's sweet, floral scent mixed with Luna's soft aroma of honey, wild herbs, and wood, completely filling my senses.
"Okay…" I murmured slowly, understanding that I would simply have to accept the situation I was in.
And to support Luna, preventing her from falling, I wrapped my arm around her waist, just as I was doing with Fleur.
What I failed to notice was the silent exchange of looks between the two girls when I did that.
Fleur's gaze was clearly displeased, while Luna's looked smug and even somewhat proud.
That brief moment reignited their competitiveness. The two of them hugged me even tighter, with a certain sense of urgency.
"Ugh…"
Being squeezed between the two witches, I started to feel overwhelmed... and a little uncomfortable.
Not that being hugged by two beautiful and incredible girls was a bad thing… but in the position we were in, I felt more suffocated than satisfied.
'I really need to teach these two the variation of the Law of Impenetrability that states that three bodies DEFINITELY cannot occupy the same space'
Feeling that I wouldn't be able to endure this for much longer — both because of my need for space and because my bones felt like they were about to break — I briefly removed my arm from Luna's waist and lightly tapped the armrest of the chair.
The moment I did, the armchair immediately expanded, becoming large enough to accommodate more than one person.
"Okay, you two… you don't need to keep holding me so tightly. It's not like I'm going to run away or anything," I said, giving their backs a gentle pat.
After hearing that, Fleur and Luna hesitated for a moment, clearly reluctant to let go of me so soon.
However, noticing my discomfort and realizing that they were, in fact, being excessively clingy and possessive, they finally relented, climbing off me with little enthusiasm.
Still, even though they were no longer clinging to me like two needy baby koalas, they didn't let go of my arms.
And now I had two girls hugging me, one on each side, engaged in some kind of silent competition to see who could show me more affection and closeness.
Looking at the two blonde witches who were undeniably important to me, I smiled helplessly.
'Why do women have to be so complicated?' I thought.
I wasn't foolish. I knew why they were acting this way.
It was obvious to anyone that Luna and Fleur liked me — not just as a friend, but as a partner for life.
My empathy wasn't just for show.
To many, I might have seemed dense or inexperienced when it came to romance — which wasn't entirely untrue, considering that in my past life I had remained completely single, and in this one I had focused solely on growing stronger.
I was sure that my friends, my family, and even my other classmates believed I was oblivious to the growing affection the two girls felt for me.
But I knew.
I knew exactly what their feelings were.
In truth, I was simply pretending not to notice… to avoid problems, conflicts, and drama.
Or perhaps, being honest with myself, I was just afraid to do anything about it.
From the very beginning, I had been able to feel that affection developing and growing within Luna and Fleur, strengthening little by little until it became something more.
And now, watching these two kind, beautiful, fun, determined, intelligent, and… well, you get the idea... these perfect girls showing me so much care and affection, I felt overwhelmed.
Not in a bad way, of course, but as if I were being so enveloped in love and kindness that I was almost drowning in it, leaving me lost.
I didn't know what to do.
And I definitely didn't have the privilege of diving into something like romance.
I didn't have time for that. I had far more important and decisive matters to deal with — many plans, strategies, battles, and missions ahead.
Besides, it was practically a given that I would face many dangerous — even deadly — situations in the future.
And the idea of putting my future girlfriend — whoever she might be — through so much stress and worry because of me was something I definitely didn't want.
'Sigh... Love is, without a doubt, the most complex and dangerous emotion of all' I muttered inwardly.
End.
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